


not you, it's me.

by damnmysterytome



Series: flowers for mourning [2]
Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, F/M, High School
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-01
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-06-05 14:30:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6708478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/damnmysterytome/pseuds/damnmysterytome
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Karen had returned to school earlier in the week after her brother died and of course, she had only taken two days to completely catch up on her school work. Frank wasn't convinced that she didn't just stay up for two days straight to finish it all. He had hoped he'd have a few more days before she'd start riding his ass again. Of course, he didn't get that lucky.</p>
            </blockquote>





	not you, it's me.

“And here I thought you missed having me ride your ass.” Karen teased, reminding Frank of what he'd said to her when he'd shown up at her house a few weeks ago when she hadn't been at school for a few days.

Frank scoffed and shook his head. “I didn't say I missed it. Just that that's why I didn't do as well on that test.” He said, his ears reddening a bit in embarrassment. He had missed Karen a little bit, but he wasn't about to admit it.

“Yeah, whatever.” She said with a small laugh. “Your grade in Biology has improved so much, you should bowing down at my feet.”

Karen had returned to school earlier in the week after her brother died and of course, she had only taken two days to completely catch up on her school work. Frank wasn't convinced that she didn't just stay up for two days straight to finish it all. He had hoped he'd have a few more days before she'd start riding his ass again. Of course, he didn't get that lucky.

“I could just take you out to thank you.” He blurted out.

Karen's head turned to look at Frank and her smile fell. “What? Why would you do that?”

Frank looked over at her, confused at the suddenly not happy look on Karen's face. Okay, that's not how most girls looked whenever he asked them out. “Not like a date,” He covered up quickly, even though it had intended on being a date definitely. “Just as friends.”

“But we aren't friends.” Karen said out of nowhere. Frank frowned and looked at her, furrowing his brow. Okay, that was unexpected. “I'm just your tutor, Frank.”

Were it anyone else, Frank might have gone off on her, but Frank couldn't think of anything to say after that. He fell silent and turned back to his notes until their session was over.

* * *

“Okay, what's bothering you?” Matt Murdock asked. He didn't have to _see_ Karen to know that she was upset about something. She was tense, slamming her books around, and snapping at everyone who came close enough to annoy her. Unfortunately that meant himself and Foggy. “And don't try to tell me nothing is bothering you.”

Karen looked at Matt from across the table at the diner and shook her head. “Frank asked me out.”

“But that's good! You like Frank.” Foggy said before Matt could say anything. Everyone knew about the animosity between Frank and Matt, even if no one was sure where it came from.

Karen laughed and shook her head. “No, I don't.”

“Okay, I'm gonna tell you something,” Foggy said, reaching over and turning Karen's head towards her. “You do.”

There were very few people that knew Karen very well and the two across from her were some of the only ones. “Matt, tell her.”

“You like him.” Matt said. Karen scolded at her two best friends and collected her things from the table. Foggy and Matt tried to talk her out of leaving but Karen wasn't hearing any of it. She stomped away from them and out of the diner.

* * *

 

Frank Castle caught Karen's attention as she saw him standing in an animal shelter. She didn't know that he'd worked in an animal shelter. Or at least... Volunteered? He was sweeping up, and he seemed to be the only one there.

Karen knew that Matt and Foggy were right – she did like Frank. She had since she moved to Hell's Kitchen and he stopped her from tripping down the stairs.

She took a deep breath and reached out for the door, pulling it open and walking into the shelter. He didn't seem to notice her until she spoke.

“Hey..” Frank looked up to see Karen standing a few feet away from him, standing straight to his full height. He leaned against the broom he was holding and watched her as she came a little bit towards him.

“Hey.” He said.

Karen stopped a few feet in front of him and rest her hands on her side. “I uh... I wanted to apologize..”

“Don't. You were right, we ain't friends.” Frank said and turned back to the pile of dirt he had sweeped up. He bent down to collect it in the dust pan and moved towards the trash. The dogs barked at Frank as he walked by.

Karen chewed on her bottom lip. “That wasn't the... That wasn't.. It's not.. I like you.” Frank looked up at Karen when she admitted that and he wondered how she meant it. As friends? More than friends? As the weird guy she was just tutoring.

“And?” He mumbled.

“It's not yo-”

“If you say its not you, it's me, I'm gonna collect all the dog shit here and dump it in your backpack.” He joked. At least Karen hoped.

“But it is, Frank.” Karen said, tears filling her eyes as she looked at him.

Frank regretted the joke as tears filled her eyes and he leaned the broom against the wall, taking a few steps over to her. “Hey, I was just kidding, I ain't-”

“Every time I start to feel the tiniest bit happy about anything, I think 'what right do you have to be happy when Kevin is dead?'” Karen said. Frank stopped in his tracks, a few feet from Karen with one of his hands held out. “My brother is dead and I... What right do I have to smile and laugh and have fun and like people when my own brother can't anymore?”

“You can't... Put your life on hold because of it.” Frank said after several minutes. “I didn't know him but I'm sure he wouldn't want you like this.” Karen brought her hands up to her face and covered her face as a sob shook over her body.

Frank closed the distance between the two of them and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as Karen sobbed. Frank didn't know how to comfort people when they were crying, but he really wanted her to stop. “You're okay, you're okay.” He murmured.

It took her a few minutes until she stopped crying, pulling away from Frank. Her face was streaky from make up, red and blotchy from her tears. Frank lifted his hands up to her face and brushed her tears from her face.

“So... How about dinner? Saturday?” Frank asked. Hearing that Karen did like him reminded him of what she was standing in the animal shelter where he worked. He wanted to ask her out on a date. It still stood, he wanted to take her out.

Karen laughed and nodded slowly, sniffling. “Yeah, how about six thirty?” She asked. Frank's hands dropped from her face and there was a crooked grin on his face.

“It's a date.”

 


End file.
